Kings and Diamonds
by LuckydaNewsie
Summary: The eight best members of the number one burgulary gang in NYC, The Kings, set out to steal the biggest ruby in the world, the Red Diamond. But to do so, they must get close to the Newsies...R&R!!
1. Prologue

A/N: I do not own any of the Newsies that are in the Disney film. All of the main burglars own themselves!

*Stress' POV*

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The bulls called us The Kings, on account that we were the best in New York. We were always headlining one paper or another. If I remember correctly, there was Shadow, Scale, Keys, Switch, Swiftfingers, Joker and me of course, Stress. And Kitty. No matter how hard you tried, you just couldn't forget Kitty Voleur. Sure, there were more of us, but we were the pick of the crop. Those weren't real names, just the names we went by so that the bulls couldn't catch us. It was the spring of 1900 that I think the last time all of us were together. We were about to pull off the biggest heist in our lives…

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*Note: This is NOT in Stress' point of view*

I lifted the glass case and looked at the items inside for a second. Inside, were six, large diamond rings staring back at me. 

"Hope they won't miss these much." I said, carefully lifting them out of the case and putting them inside the secret compartment in my hat. Stress' low whistle pierced the silent room, it was her signal to let us know that someone was coming. "Emu. Emu, come one, we gotta go." I whispered and we tiptoed away towards the door where there was a rope hanging down. We slide down the brown, tangled mess and ran the rest of the way to Downing Street.

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"What did you want, chief?" I asked, stepping into the Jeff Comut's office. Jeff, or the Chief as we called him, was the ringleader of the Kings, he organized everything and then sent us out to do the dirty work. No one complained because he had given us all a roof over our heads and food to eat everyday; it was a lot better from where we first came from. The Chief threw today's edition of the New York World on his desk and continued looking out of his window. I looked at it curiously and read the headline. THE KINGS STRIKE AGAIN! it read.

"We made the front page this time." I remarked, smiling triumphantly.

"You, Emu and Stress did extremely well. Flip to the social section, page 3." I did as he directed and scanned the page.

"Mr. Clayton Cook, a prominent man in the diamond industry of New York, will be holding a private party in which he is expected to unveil his new diamond museum. He is rumored to show the Red Diamond, the world's biggest ruby, that night. The party is invitation only." I read. "The Red Diamond?" I asked, confused but intrigued.

"It is one of the biggest known and uncovered rubies in the world. I have found out from my sources that it will be there. And we are going to…"

"Steal it." I interrupted. 

"Exactly. But first, some background information. Clayton Cook used to be a Newsie at the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House. He still has friends there and those will be the people that he will use for his security guards that night." The Chief said.

"And you want us to?" I asked, leaning in closer to him for instructions.

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"You have been called here because you are one of the eight best thieves in the Kings." I said, looking around at the seven other people gathered around the oak table.

"This will be our trickiest heist yet. It will take a long time gathering information and planning it. Does anyone not want to be a part of it?" No one answered so I took that as a no. "We will be robbing Mr. Clayton Cook, a prominent member of the diamond industry, at the opening of his diamond museum, named Sparkles. This won't be any old diamond we'll take, we are going to steal the biggest ruby known in the world, the Red Diamond."

"Clayton Cook used to be a Newsie, and still has friends in the Manhattan and Brooklyn Newsboys Lodging Houses. Those are whom he's going to be using as his guards that night. Our job, to get close to them and make sure that we are brought to the opening of Sparkles that night. We already have positioned some people in Brooklyn. The eight of us will be going to Manhattan, the most important place." I passed around two pictures to the each of them. "The first picture is of Mr. Cook, memorize it and don't forget it. The second picture is the most important Newsboy we have to know, he was like Mr. Cook's little brother when he was at the Lodging House. Therefore, he will be the one that Mr. Cook trusts most. Understand?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Now to fit in with the Newsboys, we will have to change some things about us, like our names and clothing. You need to pick a nickname for yourself, it can be anyone that you choose. We will be leaving tomorrow night. We have two weeks from tomorrow night to get close to the Newsies and get invited to Sparkles' opening night. Oh, one other thing before I forget." I said, before leaving. "This is strictly confidential. Anyone caught talking about this outside of these eight people will be killed."


	2. Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House

A/N: This is Lucky but I've now changed my name to Raider. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!  
  
Stage Riot Tipsy Emu Slick Rae Kelly Maniac Conlon/Timber/Pistol Stress  
  
Aki  
  
"Straight." Race said triumphantly, fanning his cards on the table. Several other Newsies threw down their cards.  
  
"Damn you, Race." Jack said. Race just smiled, his cigar hanging out of the corner of his mouth and gathered up his winnings.  
  
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"Excuse me, sir? We were told that you would have lodgings for the night." Kloppman peered over his desk at this rag tag bunch that stood in front of him. There were three boys and two girls.  
  
"You need lodgings tonight, for all of you?" Kloppman said, looking around. The boy that had spoken before nodded. "The fee's five cents a night." He pulled out a big, brown book. "What are your names?"  
  
"Mine's Keys." A boy of medium height and brown hair said. He looked about 5'7 and had a tough look on his face.  
  
"Riot." The girl said. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. She had that tomboyish look about her, with black pants and a pale yellow shirt on.  
  
"Stress." The second girl said. She had brownish, blondish curly hair. She was wearing a green patchwork skirt with a light green top on.  
  
"Alley." Another brown haired boy said. He looked to be about 5'9, skinny but with well defined muscles underneath his red shirt.  
  
"Decker." The last and final boy said. He was the tallest out of the five, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. He was wearing a dark blue shirt, which made his blue eyes stand out even more, with black pants.  
  
"Let me take ya all upstairs, that's where the rest of the Newsies are. But before, are any of you running from da bulls?" Kloppman asked. The five looked at each other before Stress finally shook her head. "And I need a night's lodging fee for all of you." Scale gave him a quarter.  
  
"I think that should pay for all of us." Kloppman nodded and led them upstairs, where a large group of boys and a couple of girls were scattered about.  
  
"Attention everyone!" Kloppman yelled out. Every pair of eyes turned towards him. "We have some new members of the Manhattan Newsies. These people here are Riot, Keys, Decker, Stress, and Alley." After the introductions were made, Kloppman left and the five newcomers stood at the entrance awkwardly. A tall, pretty blonde girl came up to them.  
  
"Hi! My name is True, I'm Jack's little sister." She said, cheerfully.  
  
"Who's Jack?" Keys asked.  
  
"You don't know Jack?" True asked, surprised.  
  
"O'coise not. We just got here." Riot said.  
  
"Well, I have some woik to do'se." True said. "C'mon." She took Stress' hand and motioned for the others to follow her.  
  
"Blink, Race, David, Jack." She said, pointing off the boys who were sitting around the round, dark brown poker table. Their heads shot up as True named them. "Boys, I'd like you to meet Stress, Riot, Keys, Alley and Decker." They nodded their greetings and the boys not so subtly checked out the girls. Keys stepped closer to Riot.  
  
"How did ya guys end up here?" Jack asked, standing up and handing his cards to Race.  
  
"We ran away from an orphanage over in Jersey." Stress explained.  
  
"All five of you'se?" He asked skeptically. All five heads nodded.  
  
"See, we all met there and when Decker over there decided to break out, we decided to join him." She said.  
  
"Hey True, are there any more Newsgirls?" Scale asked.  
  
"There should be two more coming. There are only three of us, so we're greatly outnumbered by the guys. Their names are Aki and Mischief. They were out with their guys at Medda's."  
  
"What's Medda's?" Stress asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that you guys don't know these things. It's a vaudeville theater, Jack and me are friends with the owner Medda, so all of the Newsies go over there a lot. Tomorrow or the next night, I'll take ya guys there." True said. Stress smiled her appreciation.  
  
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"Mind if we join you?" Riot and Decker asked the poker boys.  
  
"Pull up two chairs." Race said, dealing them in.  
  
"For a change of pace how bout we play strip poker." Blink suggested. Everyone nodded eagerly and turned towards Riot.  
  
"If its fine with everyone else, I guess its ok." She said. "I guess I'll just have to win every time." She thought privately.  
  
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The foursome headed up the stairs to the bunkrooms.  
  
"Do you girls wanna come us to Clayton's party in two weeks?" Specs asked Aki and Mischief while Mush looked on hopefully. The two girls looked at each other with grins on their faces.  
  
"Do you even have to ask?" Aki said, throwing her arms around Specs' neck while giving him a kiss. He blushed a deep red rose while Mush and Mischief laughed.  
  
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"Finally, you four lovebirds decide to grace us with your presence." True said sarcastically as a tall dark haired boy with glasses, boy with curly brown hair, a tall girl with medium length light brown hair and the shorter one of the four: a girl with long black hair came into the room. "You missed all o'da action."  
  
"And we couldn't catch up on it?" The boy with glasses said sarcastically.  
  
"We got five new people, all at the same time." True went on, not even blinking an eye.  
  
"Five?" The one with the curly brown hair asked.  
  
"Five." True confirmed. "Come and meet them. They all ran away from an orphanage in Jersey." True explained, weaving in and out of the crowd of boys until she came to the poker table.  
  
"This is Riot." She looked up, her long brown hair falling in front of her face. "And this is Decker." The tall, skinny boy looked up.  
  
"This is Aki, Specs, Mush and Mischief. Aki and Mischief are the two other girls here."  
  
"Hi!" Mischief said enthusiastically while Aki muttered it and walked away with Specs.  
  
"Umm..Why are Blink and Jack all without their shirts. And Race, are you missing your shoes?" Mischief asked, confused by the sight that was at the poker table.  
  
"Nah." Riot said. "We're just playing strip poker. They wanted to for obvious reasons but of course that hasn't worked yet." She indicated her fully clothed body. Mischief laughed.  
  
"Count me in." She said, grabbing a chair but Mush held her back.  
  
"Aww..The boyfriend says no, so I guess I can't."  
  
"That's good, there's three more people to meet. Aki, Specs! Git over here!" She yelled as she led them over to where three unfamilar people were talking with David, Dutchy and a few others.  
  
"Stress, Alley, Keys. This is Aki, Specs, Mischief and Mush." Everyone managed to exchange hello's before Kloppman came up and yelled lights out.  
  
"You know, Riot. I think this just might work." Stress said to her brunette companion.  
  
"What might work?" Mischief asked, coming up behind the pair.  
  
"What? Oh, us just being Newsies and all. When we came here, we weren't sure what we were going to do." Stress said quickly. Mischief nodded.  
  
"Well, you'll always have a home with the Newsies." She said before going over to kiss Mush goodnight.  
  
Stress and Riot both let out sighs of relief. "Thank the lord Chief taught us how to act and lie." Riot muttered to Stress as they climbed into their bunks. 


	3. Super Spot

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!! I love y'all! Woah, southern moment. I've been having those a lot ever since I came back from Alabama.  
  
"Snoddy! Specs! Skittery! Wake up!" Kloppman made his way through the boys boarding room and whacked Skittery's feet. "Carryin da bannah!" He looked around, once he was satisfied that all the boys were slowly making their way out of bed he crossed the hall. "Carryin da bannah goils!" He said, flicking the light switch a couple of times. Stress groaned and rolled over, opening her yellow-green eyes.  
  
"What time is it?" She muttered, her words sounding hoarse and warped with the earliness of the morning.  
  
"5'o'clock on this lovely Wednesday morning." True said.  
  
"How can you be so cheery?" Scale asked, looking at the smiling True who was pulling on her black suspenders.  
  
"Ya just get used to it. In a couple of days, you'll probably be up, just like me."  
  
"I doubt it." Stress said, closing her eyes again.  
  
"How are the new goils doing?" Jack asked, popping his head into the room. Scale threw a pillow at him. "Ah, c'mon. If ya goin to be a Newsie, ya gotta start acting like one." He nodded at True. "Get those lazy carcasses out of bed." She grinned and went to the washroom. A moment later she appeared at the head of Stress' bed, poised over the girl's head with a cup of water.  
  
"You wouldn't dare." Stress said, glancing up before snuggling deeper under the covers.  
  
"Oh, yes I would." True said, dumping the glass on the somewhat sleeping Stress.  
  
"What the..?" Stress yelped jumping out of bed. She pushed her wet hair out of her eyes and glared at True.  
  
"It got ya awake, didn't it?" True asked, calmly. "Now ya better hurry, five minutes til we leave." Stress glared once more at her and then stormed into the washroom.  
  
"It's a fine life, carryin da bannah trough it all." Mush was singing softly as he waited outside the girls' room for Mischief. "Hey!" He said, smiling as she came out.  
  
"Hey you, we're going to have a new selling partner today..Riot. We need to teach her the tricks o' the trade around 'ere." Mischief said. Mush's smiling face fell. "Don't look so glum, else you'll turn into Skittery."  
  
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"See, the key to being a Newsie is improvin da truth." Jack Kelly said, hoisting his papers above his right shoulder. "If ya can't do that, then you won't be very good. Maybe a couple o' old broads'll pity you and buy a pape."  
  
"So ya mean lyin?" Decker asked, raising his eyebrow.  
  
"Lyin. Lyin is such a harsh word, dat's why we use improvin da truth. Sides, it nothin that the men up dere don't do." Jack said.  
  
"I see." Decker said skeptically. "Well, I'se not too bad at lyin..improvin da truth."  
  
"Hmm..ya know what you'se gonna be my sellin partnah for today." Jack said. "Dat okay wit ya Davey?"  
  
"Yeah..I was gonna sell wit Stress anyways." David said, putting an arm around the brunette girl next to him.  
  
"Good. Now listen up, I'se want all of you oldies here to pair up with a newbie and show 'em the ropes." Jack ordered.  
  
"Me and Mischief got Riot." Mush called out. Jack looked around at everyone else. "Decker, Stress, and Riot are all accounted for..what about the rest of you'se?"  
  
"I'll take Keys." Blink said, speaking up from where he was talking with the boy.  
  
"Me an'Dutchy'll take Alley." Specs said.  
  
"Good. Now we'll see ya at Tibby's latah." Jack said, leaving with Decker and Les in tow.  
  
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"Here, see this article. Read da headline." David said to Stress as they walked along the street.  
  
"Mayor signs declaration that Central Park is to be preserved." Stress read slowly.  
  
"That ain't very interesting, so ya want to try an' make it bettah." David said. "Try it." Stress smiled and thought for a moment.  
  
"Mayor declares that Central Park is to be sold to the French!" Stress called out, getting three people to buy a paper from her.  
  
"Not too shabby." David said, smiling admirably at her. Stress blushed, surprising herself.  
  
"Ok, try the story on page 4." He said, handing another paper to her.  
  
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"Ahh!" Riot screamed, stamping her foot. "I can't do this! Why don't people buy papers from me?" Mischief and Mush looked at each other.  
  
"Well..sometimes the whole improvin da truth deal isn't for dem." Mush said.  
  
"Yeah, ya just have to find your own approach." Mischief added, nodding at what Mush said.  
  
"What? I can't find my own approach!" Riot protested. "I think it has to do with my horrible made-up headlines."  
  
"Here, we'll help ya think o'some good ones." Mischief offered. "Turn to page 6."  
  
"Fire happens in apartment building, casualty one cat." Riot read.  
  
"Ok, well that ain't very interesting is it?" Mush said. "Try to think of ways to improve it, lots o' times people buy papes if it mentions da mayor."  
  
"Umm.fire happens, mayor condemns the building?" Riot suggested. Mush and Mischief looked at each other.  
  
"Try again." Mush said.  
  
"I got one! Fire at Mayor's Mansion, Mayor in critical condition!" Riot exclaimed.  
  
"Good, try it!" Mischief exclaimed. Riot yelled out and within a few seconds, had 6 papers sold.  
  
"Got the jist of it?" Mush asked.  
  
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"Kings strike again! Robbed the White House of all its jewels!" Keys yelled out. "There goes all of my papes."  
  
"Damn boy, you'se a natural at this." Blink said. Keys smiled.  
  
"Tanks. Now what do ya want to do?" Keys asked.  
  
"How 'bout I show ya all the places around Manhattan? We can pick up a few ladies, while we'se at it." Blink suggested, winking.  
  
"Fine wit me." Keys said. "I need some women anyways."  
  
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"So what do you guys do for fun around here?" Alley asked.  
  
"Well, we'se go to Medda's, loiter around da city, occasionally some of us 'ill go to Brooklyn." Specs said.  
  
"Fun." Alley said.  
  
"You'se have to get used to it." Dutchy said defensively.  
  
"Wanna show me some of it?" Alley asked. Dutchy and Specs shrugged.  
  
"Sure."  
  
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"How'd you'se get along?" Jack asked the five newbies.  
  
"Great." Riot said sarcastically. "After I finally learned how ta improve da truth, I did fine." She explained.  
  
"They all did great." Mush said, the others agreeing with him.  
  
"Good. By the way, I talked to Jay and he says Spot wants us to come ta Brooklyn for a visit in a couple days. Seems like these five intrigued him." Jack said.  
  
"Finally a visit! I haven't seen Spot in forevah." True exclaimed winking at her angry brother.  
  
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"Someone help me! Please help me!" A girl with long, somewhat red hair, exclaimed, running into the restaurant, Charley's. Spot pointed at the girl and smirked.  
  
"What do ya want?" He asked.  
  
"Someone's trying to rape my friend in an alley down a ways from me." She gasped.  
  
"Well, it's your lucky day. Spot's here to save her." He said. "Show me where she be." She ran out of the restaurant.  
  
"Here they come." The girl said. She screamed. "Help me! Help me, someone please!" She cried out. "Ok, they're getting close now, turn around and look at them, then hit me and run away." The raper turned and looked then hit her, causing her to crumple to the ground and took off. "Thanks Sullivan." She said.  
  
"Anytime." Sullivan said, disappearing into the shadows. The girl who had come to Spot flew to her friend's side.  
  
"Is she okay?" The girl asked.  
  
"I think she will be, she'll be a bit shaken up. And she's gonna have a nasty shinah." Spot said. The girl on the ground moaned and opened her eyes.  
  
"Is he gone?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, he ran away when he saw us coming." Spot said, helping the two girls to their feet. "Put your one arm around her to help her walk. Her leg is beaten up pretty bad. We're going to take her back to the restaurant. What are your names?"  
  
"I'm Natasha, but most people call me Dragonfly, on account of this." She said, moving her shoulder a bit to reveal a dragonfly shaped tattoo.  
  
"I'm Icy. Icy Harlem. Nothing else." The girl said, looking up into Spot's eyes. He saw why she was called Icy. Her eyes were a piercing blue and gray. They looked like little icicles suspended in motion. 


End file.
